grad school interrupts your life. it alots you a small window of travel opportunity time and even less funding to do so. additionally, it just about kills any chances of full-time employment. and if you are someone in a romantic relationship, the stress might take a toll on that as well.

the most salient of the aforementioned points for me is the job thing. my internship over and since i have not had my degree conferred, employment in my field is no option. even with the degree, i'd find the job opportunities less than desireable because i'll be un-licensed. so in comes my current hustle.

i work (and i use the term loosely) at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as an usher. this one-day-a-week, two shift position affords me just enough cash to put gas in my car, pay the garage fee, maintain my make up habit by buying one or two items, and a couple happy hours/lunches/dinners a month. i do not yet have a clothing allowance. travel is not even an option. plus i have expenses on my credit card i need this money to contribute to so the bi-weekly checks never go very far.

my other hustle is temp work. in the last two weeks, ive registered at two temp agencies. one found me a 3-day assignment from which i am typing now. it's not much but i do thoroughly enjoy getting paid to do what i do all day at home, transferring a few phone calls in-between. once this assignment is completed on monday, i really hope to get a second assignment soon after. the inconsistency of the work is the only drawback. i'd feel more comfortable with a longer term situation.

so there's my hustle. for you established folk, what were your early 20s like? did you stumble a little before finding secure employment or did you dive in head first to your career?